OTHER THINGS TO DO
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For visitors who have been here before, or who simply prefer a more sedate approach on their vacation, Florida in general and Orlando in particular can also offer a number of museums and parks.
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MUSEUMS
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The Art Museum at Florida International University in Miami is one of America’s most prominent museums, and houses an extensive collection of North and South American Art. The Orlando Museum of Art has a large collection of 20th-century American art, as well as pre-Columbian and African art exhibits. The Salvador Dali Museum in St Petersburg is one of the largest museums in the world to be devoted to the artist. It houses close to 1,000 examples of his work.
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THEATRES
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The Gusman Center for the Performing Arts in Miami Beach presents a number of classical concerts and musical comedies throughout the year. The Central Florida Civic Theatre in Orlando presents classical and contemporary productions, as well as musical comedies all year round. The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in Tampa is home to the Florida Ochestra, the Bay Ballet Theatre and the Tampa Oratorio Society.
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FOOD & DRINK
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Meal times in Florida offer a tantalising mix of traditional American food and ethnic cuisine. Typical dishes include large helpings of steak, burgers and ribs, while unique local dishes include fried alligator tail and Key Lime Pie, a meringue-like dessert. Heavily spiced Cuban dishes are very popular, as are Chinese, Mexican, Italian, French, Indian, Greek, Indonesian and Minorcan dishes. Because of its proximity to the sea, seafood is one of Florida’s specialities. When dining, you can choose from a large variety of fish and shellfish. Florida has a large group of developing wineries, as well as small independent breweries known as micro breweries. Entertainment With its relaxed atmosphere and temperate weather it is easy to enjoy yourself in Florida. Both Miami and Miami Beach have a very active social scene, with numerous clubs ranging from Jazz to Lambada. Florida is also known for its theme parks, the largest being Walt Disney World in Orlando, which recently developed a section of the park into an area geared towards nightlife.
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SPORT
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Water sports such as snorkelling, scuba diving and water-skiing are very popular in Florida; because of its weather they can be practised the whole year long. Surfing is mostly restricted to the Atlantic Coast where conditions are ideal for the sport. Other popular sports include boating, fishing, hiking and golf.
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SHOPPING
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The shopping mall, symbol of American consumer culture, is an enclosed shopping area, often strikingly designed to be a safe, pleasant place for the entire family to shop. There are some shopping malls in the inner cities, but usually you drive to a mall and park your car in a lot as big as an airfield. Strip shopping centres are smaller than shopping malls and are rarely enclosed. Their largest stores are discount or drug stores or supermarkets, with a few speciality stores. They are located on major roads with parking areas in front. Many of Florida’s shops can be found inside the theme parks, alongside the attractions. As with most other activities in Florida, shopping has also been brought to the beach. In Miami, Miami Beach, Tampa, St Petersburg and most of the coastal towns there are modern shopping centres and informal markets placed along the beach. Keep in mind though that these shops usually ask far more for goods.
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SHOWS & FESTIVALS
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Florida celebrates Independence Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving Day with the rest of America. From February to April every year, Spring Break is frenetically celebrated in Florida by thousands of students. Although the county authorities of Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale have tried to suppress this, it still takes place every year.
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January: The Greek Festival takes place in Tarpon Springs on the west coast. There is an Art Deco Weekend in Miami Beach.
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February: The Silver Spurs Rodeo takes place in Kissimmee, with calf-roping, steer-wrestling and other cowboy activities. Old Islands Day in Key West commemorates the early history of the island. The Big Orange Music Festival in Miami features all types of music, from classical to rock.
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March/April: A service is held at dawn on Easter Sunday in Cypress Gardens. The Miami Grand Prix takes place.
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July: The Silver Spurs Rodeo in Kissimmee, also held in February, is repeated. The All-American Water-Ski Championship is held in Cypress Gardens.
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September: The Anniversary of the Founding of St Augstine takes place.
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October: The Hispanic Heritage Week Gala takes place in Miami, and involves events such as art exhibits and lectures.
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December/January: The Orange Bowl Festival, the highlight of which is a parade on New Year’s Eve, takes place in Miami.
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PARKS & RESERVES
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Florida has three national parks, three national forests and several hundred state parks. The Everglades Park, measuring 5,600km² (2,162 miles²), is America’s only subtropical national park. It features a wide variety of wildlife. The Biscayne National Park, measuring 730km² (282 miles²), is the most recently established national park in Florida. Situated near Miami, it consists of large stretches of water, small islands and coral reefs teeming with fish. National forests in the state include the Apalachicola National forest in northern Florida’s Panhandle, the Ocala National Forest in central Florida, and the Osceola National Forest which is situated north of Lake City.
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